Remote Desktop is one of the features of Windows 10 Pro that allows us to connect to our computer remotely, from anywhere, without third-party programs and without having to open ports or configure anything on the router or on the computer. By default, RDP only allows a simultaneous connection, that is, we can only connect from one PC at a time. However, if we need to, we can increase this limit.
How many simultaneous connections does Remote Desktop allow?
By default, this Microsoft tool only allows one connection at a time . When we are connected to a computer through Remote Desktop, we are using the PC as if we were sitting in front of it, with our session. However, if a second user tries to connect to the same PC, they will see an error message indicating that there is already a user connected and that, if we continue, the user who is already inside will be kicked out.
To avoid this problem, what we must do is increase the number of RDP connections . In this way, we can configure the PC so that two, or more, users can connect at the same time without problems or conflicts.
In total, Microsoft’s protocol allows an unlimited number of users connected at the same time. To do this, we simply have to modify a parameter in the Windows 10 group policies to be able to modify this limit.
How to increase the Remote Desktop connection limit
From the Remote Desktop configuration we cannot change these parameters. To increase the number of simultaneous connections, what we should do is open the Windows 10 Group Policy window. This tool is only available in Windows 10 Pro, just like RDP, so we should have no problem finding it.
To open this administrative tool, what we must do is type in the Windows 10 search engine: gpedit.msc . We will see a new window like the following one, where we will find all the policies that we can configure. We can also do it from the run box, which we can launch using the Windows + R keyboard shortcut.
The one that allows us to modify this value can be found in the section Local Computer Policy> Computer Configuration> Administrative Templates> Windows Components> Remote Desktop Services > Remote Desktop Session Host> Connections.
The administrative template that we are interested in modifying is ” Limit number of connections “.
We double click on it and a new configuration window like the one below will open.
Here, the first thing we must do is check the ” Enabled ” box for it to start working. Once done, we will see how the box at the bottom, so far gray, is activated. In it we can mark the number of simultaneous connections that we want our RDP to have. We can choose any number, from 1 (a single connection) to 999999 (unlimited connections).
We apply the changes, accept the window and that’s it. From now on, we will be able to connect with more than one computer at the same time through Windows 10 Remote Desktop. If it still does not work, we will have to restart the PC for the changes to take effect.
How to re-limit RDP connections
Unless we have a server, allowing several people to connect to our PC simultaneously does not make much sense. And not only that, but we can endanger the PC, since anyone could connect without realizing it.
In case, after changing the user limit, we regret it, we can return to its default value, again, from the administrative templates. We reopen gpedit.msc , we go to the Local Computer Policy> Computer Configuration> Administrative Templates> Windows Components> Remote Desktop Services> Remote Desktop Session Host> Connections> Limit number of connections section, and reconfigure your value as “Not configured” or “Disabled”.
By doing this, we will be preventing group policies from managing the number of RDP connections, and therefore we will return to the default value, that is, a single simultaneous connection.
Other advanced Remote Desktop configuration options
From the Remote Desktop administrative templates we will also be able to configure other parameters of this tool. For example, within the same section of “Connections” we will be able to activate the automatic reconnection to reconnect in case the connection is lost, or change the type of network protocol that we want, use, either TCP (for more reliability) or UDP (for speed).
In the ” Temporary folders ” section we will be able to activate or deactivate the use of temporary folders per session, or choose if we want them to be automatically deleted when exiting.
The section ” Session time limits ” allows us to establish duration times of the sessions, both active and inactive, to end them (or not) once the threshold has been reached.
And, in the ” Security ” section, we can force users to use certificates, always ask for the password before connecting or require secure RPC communications.
Don’t use Remote Desktop? Turn it off completely
Like any other Windows function, if we don’t use Remote Desktop the best we can do is disable it. If we have it activated, we open the door for hackers to connect to our computer remotely and endanger our security.
Therefore, if we are not going to use this function, we can deactivate it in Windows 10. To do this, what we must do is open the Windows 10 Settings window, and go to the System> Remote Desktop section . Here we will find a switch that will allow us to activate or deactivate this feature with a single click.
If we deactivate RDP, no one will be able to connect to our computer remotely. In case we need it again in the future, we simply have to re-activate this box to be able to use this protocol.
And, if what we want is to have more control over the accounts or users who can access this function, we can enter the ” User accounts ” section, in the same menu that we just saw in the previous step, to indicate the user accounts that can make use of this feature.